Jefferson B. Sessions III, Federal Marijuana Enforcement Policy, Washington 2018

SPOKANE, WA - Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions III issued a memorandum on January 4, 2018, regarding federal marijuana enforcement policy. The memo was a reminder to United States Attorneys across the country of the long-established principles guiding federal prosecution.

According to Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, the Attorney General emphasized that United States Attorneys are in the best position to weigh all relevant considerations when deciding which cases to prosecute in their respective communities. Public safety is always at the fore when making these decisions.

Harrington stated that the principles guiding federal prosecution have always been at the core of what the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington does, across all threats to public safety, including those that may relate to marijuana. The office will continue to focus its enforcement efforts on those who pose the greatest safety risk to the communities in Eastern Washington.

The Attorney General's guidance is not intended to create any rights, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any matter civil or criminal.

Under the guidance, United States Attorneys will focus on disrupting criminal organizations, tackling the growing drug crisis, thwarting violent crime, and corralling white-collar fraudsters in their respective districts.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington will continue to work with its federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to prioritize public safety and ensure that enforcement efforts are targeted towards those who pose the greatest risk to the community.

As the Attorney General's guidance makes clear, the focus of federal enforcement efforts will be on those who pose the greatest safety risk to the community, not just those who are involved in marijuana-related activity.

The memo serves as a reminder that the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to prioritizing public safety and working with its law enforcement partners to ensure that enforcement efforts are effective and targeted.

In a statement, Joseph H. Harrington reaffirmed the office's commitment to public safety and its willingness to work with its partners to address the complex challenges facing the community.

The guidance from the Attorney General is a reminder that the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to prioritizing public safety and working with its law enforcement partners to ensure that enforcement efforts are effective and targeted.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/federal-marijuana-enforcement-policy